Extensive desk research and telephone interviews were conducted with key informants, including national and international broadcasters, content aggregators, content providers, and mobile content experts. The analysis addressed seven key areas:

The mobile infrastructure was examined in terms of dominant mobile operators, availability of different handsets, impact of fixed line communications, and the cost base regarding pre-paid customers.

Market trends were reviewed to highlight the patterns emerging among content providers and consumers.

The key players were analyzed in terms of the relationship between content providers and news aggregators, operators, and handset manufacturers.

The broad spectrum of content offerings were reviewed, including current affairs, politics, finance, sports, entertainment, culture, technology, and lifestyle.

The format offerings on mobile platforms were examined, including text, audio, video, and picture galleries.

The user profile was analyzed in terms of psychographic and demographic differences.

The mobile offering by key broadcasters in each market was analyzed in terms of content and format characteristics.

Insight

In markets where there is social and economic inequality, there appears to be a technological schizophrenia, particularly in Argentina, Brazil, and Russia. Extremely sophisticated mobile provision can co-exist alongside an embryonic mobile infrastructure that can be unreliable. This is due to the demand from the wealthy elite and a burgeoning middle class that are increasingly acquiring premium smart phones that can provide rich multimedia content such as video and picture gallery features. In Brazil and Russia, these populations can be sizeable enough to spur a significant investment from content providers in technologically sophisticated mobile sites and apps. In the case of Argentina, technologically sophisticated mobile provision may be created for export to the rest of Latin America due to its status as a strong innovator in software and internet design for the Spanish-speaking world.

Extensive desk research and telephone interviews were conducted with key informants, including national and international broadcasters, content aggregators, content providers, and mobile content experts. The analysis addressed seven key areas:

The mobile infrastructure was examined in terms of dominant mobile operators, availability of different handsets, impact of fixed line communications, and the cost base regarding pre-paid customers.

Market trends were reviewed to highlight the patterns emerging among content providers and consumers.

The key players were analyzed in terms of the relationship between content providers and news aggregators, operators, and handset manufacturers.

The broad spectrum of content offerings were reviewed, including current affairs, politics, finance, sports, entertainment, culture, technology, and lifestyle.

The format offerings on mobile platforms were examined, including text, audio, video, and picture galleries.

The user profile was analyzed in terms of psychographic and demographic differences.

The mobile offering by key broadcasters in each market was analyzed in terms of content and format characteristics.

Insight

In markets where there is social and economic inequality, there appears to be a technological schizophrenia, particularly in Argentina, Brazil, and Russia. Extremely sophisticated mobile provision can co-exist alongside an embryonic mobile infrastructure that can be unreliable. This is due to the demand from the wealthy elite and a burgeoning middle class that are increasingly acquiring premium smart phones that can provide rich multimedia content such as video and picture gallery features. In Brazil and Russia, these populations can be sizeable enough to spur a significant investment from content providers in technologically sophisticated mobile sites and apps. In the case of Argentina, technologically sophisticated mobile provision may be created for export to the rest of Latin America due to its status as a strong innovator in software and internet design for the Spanish-speaking world.